Cliffdale Primary Academy

Cliffdale Primary Academy is a special school for pupils with complex learning difficulties; almost all pupils have autism and severe learning difficulties, and every pupil has SEND. Inspectors found the school performing strongly across all evaluated areas: achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, early years, inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding standards are met. The school is part of Solent Academies Trust and benefits from close trust and governance oversight. The school's work is characterised by highly personalised support, expert SEND teaching and a strong focus on communication. Pupils make impressive progress from their starting points, develop independence and personal skills, and are well prepared for their next steps. Relationships are warm and respectful, attendance is actively supported, and the curriculum is ambitious and tailored to individual needs. Early years provision gives children a secure start, while leadership, staff development and outreach work are notable strengths. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school's impact. No areas of concern were identified in the inspection. The next steps ask leaders and those responsible for governance to sustain the effectiveness of their work, continue improving, and overcome barriers so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those known or previously known to children's social care, continue to benefit.

Strengths

• Pupils make impressive progress from their varied starting points despite complex and often multiple barriers to learning.
• Communication is central to the school's approach, helping pupils express needs and choices through speech, symbols or sign language.
• Attendance is actively championed, with strong relationships and timely adjustments helping pupils overcome barriers to attending.
• Behaviour is very well supported by a safe, secure and positive environment and a consistently applied policy.
• The curriculum is ambitious, engaging, connected and personalised for each pupil.
• Staff are SEND experts and teach consistently well, using sensitive questioning and effective assessment.
• Monitoring is highly effective, giving leaders an astute understanding of curriculum and teaching quality.
• Early years provision helps children settle quickly and build strong foundations, including through a bespoke phonics programme.
• The school is highly inclusive, identifying individual needs expertly and adapting support effectively.
• Pupil premium, looked-after pupil support and work with social care are used efficiently and constructively.
• Leadership has high expectations, rigorous review cycles and a strong culture of staff development and wellbeing.
• Governors and trustees are well informed, provide robust challenge and are actively involved in strategic direction.
• Personal development is carefully planned, with rich experiences and strong preparation for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils are kind, make friends and learn strategies to understand and manage their emotions.
• Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the impact the school has on their child's education and life chances.
• The school's outreach programme supports staff working with pupils with SEND in mainstream schools across the local authority.

In 2024–25 pupils at Cliffdale Primary Academy attended 92.4% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 27.5% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at Cliffdale Primary Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Cliffdale Primary Academy had 5.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Cliffdale Primary Academy had 218 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Cliffdale Primary Academy received £33,596 and spent £32,966 for each of its 219 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £591,000 (£2,698 per pupil).

Across all 5 schools of Solent Academies Trust, income was £29,889 and spending £30,094 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Portsmouth · Portsmouth local authority: places and applications

Cliffdale Primary Academy is part of Solent Academies Trust, which runs 6 schools. The nearest others:

• Redwood Park Academy Portsmouth
• Mary Rose Academy Portsmouth
• Littlegreen Academy Chichester
• Luminous Oak Academy Botley
• Dove House Academy Basingstoke

What is Cliffdale Primary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cliffdale Primary Academy is Strong standard, from an inspection in January 2026.

When was Cliffdale Primary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Cliffdale Primary Academy was last inspected in January 2026.

How many pupils does Cliffdale Primary Academy have?

Cliffdale Primary Academy has 218 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cliffdale Primary Academy cover?

Cliffdale Primary Academy for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Cliffdale Primary Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cliffdale Primary Academy?

Cliffdale Primary Academy is at Battenburg Avenue, North End, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 0SN.